Boy, age 10 to 11, linked to second Portland robbery

Police have linked a boy age 10 or 11 and an adult accomplice in a second robbery in North and Northeast Portland in less than a week.

The Pepper Box food cart in the 2700 block of Northeast Martin Luther King Boulevard was robbed at 2:58 p.m. on Friday by the boy and a man identified as 20 to 30 years old. Police said the man grabbed the robbery victim from behind while the boy took the cash. The two then fled.

The crime closely matched the description of a robbery in the 3700 block of North Mississippi Avenue at 6:28 p.m. on Saturday. The target of that robbery was The Meadow, a specialty shop selling salt, chocolates, flowers and other merchandise. Police said the adult suspect covered a female employee's mouth, pinned her arms, and threatened to hurt her if she yelled. The boy then went behind the counter and gathered money from the cash register.

The adult suspect was described as 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, medium build; he wore all black clothes. The boy was 4-foot-5 to 4-foot-8 and wore brown shirt and blue jeans.

Police have asked anyone with information about the robberies to contact Detective Mike Smith at (503) 823-0871, or Mike.Smith@PortlandOregon.gov.